The Memoirs of Ken Keeling

5M1/70th Entry — 1952 to 1955

Combined Air Forces Entry

The 70th Entry, of Aircraft Apprentices at RAF Cranwell took the Oath on the 8th January 1952. Owing to the size of the entry, bodies were spread amongst the three squadrons in Blocks 328 (B), Block 327 (A), and Block 326 (C). The entry consisted of Royal Air Force, Royal Rhodesian Air Force and Royal Ceylonese Air Force, all nominated as entry 5M1 in Cranwell terms, together with Royal Pakistan Air Force, (5P1), and Royal Burmese Air Force, (5B1). In retrospect what a motley bunch of teenagers — English, Irish, (including Eire), Welsh, Rhodesian, Ceylonese (2), Burmese and Pakistani. All shapes sizes and colours, all I might add "in the same boat without any paddles".

Kitting out was hilarious, (if it fitted you must be deformed!), but, we made it into uniform plus two pairs of boots, (RAF pattern — no separate toe caps like army issue). Our civvies were packed and posted home, except for overseas students whose civvies went to stores for safe keeping.

The RAF members were allocated to classes using an unknown system, (to the troops), except for the RPAF and RBAF who had sufficient numbers to make up their own individual Pakistani and Burmese classes. Instructors in the main were National Service Education Branch "zobs". Not very over zealous or trained teachers necessarily.

The 5M1/5P1/5B1 nomination can be broken down as follows; the 5 indicated year of Passout, 195(5). The 1 indicated month of Passout, January. The letter M indicated Mechanic although we Passed Out as Fitters. Letters P and B stood for Pakistan and Burma respectively.

Our New Home

The Blocks which still stand today (1998) were the two storey "H" type with an upper and lower room in each leg with their respective eight hand washbasins adjacent. Toilets, showers and bathrooms were located in the centre joining arm.

Each room held approximately 40 peasants, (Apprentices), with two Leading Apprentices. At the top end a Corporal Apprentice occupied the bunk room. Each person had a bed space about 8 feet x 6 feet. Within this area was a bed plus bedding, a wardrobe and a kit box. Bedding consisted of 3 biscuits, (mattress squares), 4 blankets, two sheets and a pillowcase. On the wall was a steel two door locker with a single shelf, below this a couple of wall mounted pegs, (webbing hanging, for the use of). The next bed space bed lay alongside yours. With 10 pairs each side we were a bit cramped. The steel locker had a kit bag, PT kit, towel, shirt and vest, each folded over cardboard formers for squareness. Then there were the highly clean brushes (clothes, shoe and buttons), plus pristine mug and eating irons on the bottom shelf — the kit box held the rest of your worldly goods — if you had any, it was also used to store training notes.

The daily ritual was to line up the beds each side of the hut. Blanket-packs with SD hat on top of, plus rolled up (folded) greatcoat and a towel, were laid out on the bed in a prescribed fashion. The towel had to be across the bed, (must be unused, or else!). The Blanket-packs were made up of three blankets folded over three formers, (for squareness), then wrapped in the fourth blanket. During the ritual of making up ones kit 'display' the centre of the floor was swept and given a final buff up. A dustbin (good gracious — not for rubbish!), highly polished was placed in the centre of the floor near the double doors.

Our Initiation

It was not too long before we were introduced and initiated into the Apps. As the Junior Entry, it was up before the crack of dawn to complete bed spaces, line up beds, blanket packs and furniture. Everyone got on with room jobs before work. Normal working hours included education, workshop practice and physical training. This was followed by, after tea, floor polishing to while away a few hours.

The RAF had a surplus of polish in 7 pound tins. This was diligently applied each night to the floor area then polished off by the occupants in a crocodile line, using strips of blanket (floor pads) under their feet. This was a three stage process, first each side was completed and finally the centre. Woe betide anyone who did not use floor pads or damaged the floor surface, (except for LAA, CAA, SAA, Senior Entries, SNCO's, Flight Commanders and every other 'VIP'!). Damage to the floor surface resulted in more polishing! The only people excused polishing were those designated to LAA and CAA kit-boy duties. Free time after floor polishing was spent keeping kit up to scratch ready for any App. NCO or Flight Commanders inspection, before lights out at 22:00 hours.

After some time I had an LAA to kit for, (LAA Kime 67th — retired as a Sqn.Ldr. — now calls me by my Christian name!), unfortunately it only lasted until he charged me for having "dirty brasses" — charged — excuse "why were his brasses in the same condition?" For my sins — I was admonished, bawled out and relegated to ensuring washbowls kept pristine — together with more floor polishing.

The Weekends

Saturday was not much better than any weekday — but instead of working, it was parade time. Inspected first by the LAA's, then the CAA's, the Flight Commanders took their turn and finally the Squadron Commanders. This was not the end of it for we were then marched onto the square and inspected by the Wing Commander. If you consider that the parade was made up of 3 Wings, one Apprentice and two of 'boggies', (regulars and National Serviceman), the parade did not finish very quickly. If it did, it was into denims for fatigues or working blue for yet more drill by the LAA's and CAA. Saturday afternoon was spent getting ready for Sunday.

Juniors going out of camp was not allowed. This privilege was reserved for the more Senior Apprentices.

Sunday came and we had a lie in — an extra hour in bed followed by another round of inspections before being marched to church for religion and marched back again. Bliss — Sunday afternoon was our own!

Events In The Early Days

The weekly cycle was repeated until half-term when, if you could get home, off you went for a long weekend. The weekly cycle then continued up to end of term and leave!

The highlight of the week was prior to Thursday lunchtime — pay parade and "riches beyond the dreams of avarice" — lined up A to K and L to Z! Last three, salute and pick up 10 shillings (50p) of our 17/6d a week. From our princely sum, everything had to be bought — mugs, (bounced on the floor if it was not pristine at any kit inspection or broken during a bed tipping situation by a Senior Entry), shoe polish, Brasso and Blanco. Cleaning materials disappeared rapidly with all the cleaning. Not much left for char and wads or for the camp cinema. Mind you the seats in the first two rows only cost 6d (2.5p), so there was quite a rush and crush at the side door entry point.

Not long after joining, the Senior Entry (2M1 - 61st) passed out — more nocturnal bed tipping. Before the Easter leave another Senior Entry 2M5 (62nd) Passed Out — yet more nocturnal bed tipping!

Initiation Over

After Easter leave the pressure eased off slightly, we were allowed out of camp Saturday and Sunday afternoon but, only if you passed inspection at the guardroom. We had to be back in by 21:00 hours or else.

The nearest place was Sleaford, a little market town, with Lincoln, a city over half an hour's bus ride way. Cinemas and a NAAFI club, no booze allowed and no smoking unless over age (17½yrs) and in possession of parents permission and Flight Commander's signed chit. Caught boozing — charged, caught smoking without said chit — charged, caught with unsatisfactory kit — charged, caught where you should not be — charged, was not life fun! Mind you, leave was three times a year and, you collected the balance of your weeks money, (7/6d saved for you), plus ration money and any unspent clothing allowance, plus a return railway warrant to your home. Not much luggage to take home — toothbrush, shaving kit etc. — civvies not allowed except for RRAF, RPAF, RRAF and RCAF. Caught with civvies — charged!

We Move To Locking

Summer came and went 63rd (2M9) and the Wing was off to Locking. All those with an accessible home had a long weekend with full kit, including webbing, before reporting to Locking in all its glory. We were no longer Junior Entry as the 71st and 72nd had joined at Easter and summer respectively! Happiness short lived, wooden billets holding 20, and divided into 4 areas, for A, B, C and D Squadrons. D was made up of various surplus members of each Entry. However, one bonus — cookhouse has four areas — one allocated to each Squadron. The 70th are Senior Entry in odds and sods so we queue-jump wherever possible. Caught out by 66th Pakistani LAA, charged — 7 days jankers.

Heigh-ho! Reporting at 06:30, then 18:00 and 21:00 hours in full kit with "tin room" duties in between. Well fed times, but not terribly good work as there was always an awful mess and the smell clung to you!

As the Technical Blocks (T1 to T4) were not finished, education classes were in a load of wooden billet type classrooms over the road from Blocks T1 to T4. Not much teaching, but copious note taking from blackboards.

One Year Over

At the end of our first year and with Intermediate exams over plus the departure of the Senior Entry in December, the D Squadron Entries were reallocated to Squadrons — 67th (4M1), 70th (5M1) and incoming 73rd (6M1) to 'A', 65th (3M5), 68th (4M5) and 71st (5M5) to 'B' and 66 (3M9), 69th (4M9) and 72nd (5M9) to 'C'.

A proper Squadron home at last, 'A' squadron, and billeted directly across the road from our allocated mess. We were to stay there until December 1954 when we "Passed Out" (graduated).

The polishing was now one night a week, allowed out Saturday and Sunday afternoons until 22:00, as we were no longer juniors. We had one "good conduct stripe" and pay went up to £1-7s-6d, of which we collected £1 a week! If you were 18 the pay went to £2-9s-0d, but you still only received £1 a week. Actual Trade Training began in January '53 for those that had made it this far. We had chosen our trade and as a result were allocated to class identities according to our trade, with the RBAF and RPAF retained in their individual classes. Some of the RBAF and RPAF being RTU'd [Returned To Unit], as well as RAF members being either FT'd [Further Training] to a more junior entry or, CT'd [Ceased Training] to civvy street as unsuitable for further training.

Class 70A & 70B was for Ground Radar Fitters and as such covered the complete trade equipment, as the trade was split into GRF (C), GRF (R). To be subsequently promoted a C Fitter had to convert to CR and conversely an R fitter to CR, GRF (Nav A) and GRF (Nav B) etc. (Many years later, in retrospect the whole structure was a bag of nails for when I went to take my Senior Tech board TSTS at Locking demanded that I sat a CR board and then a NAV board! One can guess at what my answer was. It also created an anomaly when Trade pay was introduced at varying amounts as Scale A, B, and depending on Trade and skill factor. Dual trades got Scale A — yet G Radar Fitters (dual trade) only entitled to Scale B!!!).

Dust ups with the 71st and 72nd occurred on a regular basis in order to put them in their place!. One distinct advantage of our location (opposite the cook house) — food (left overs from tea time or bread and cheese), especially at "supper time", was normally readily available. One evening almost the whole Wing turned up for supper — chaos, but hilarious — Orderly Officer called out — came riding down on his bike, balanced on a low brick wall and threatened us with all things nasty if we did not disperse, as cooks could not be expected to feed us all!

During summer 1953 our entry was mustered and had its photograph taken, I still have mine! (I recently organised a negative and sent off half a dozen prints to odd members who did not have a copy). With the help of others about 75% are now named.

The Third And Final Year

Enter 1954 and our final year — problems with the 68th, as some passed out as SAC fitters.

We have our summer camp at Woodvale (between Liverpool and Southport).

Modernisation is creeping in — we are to have church parade once a month. This means all of Sunday is free.

Several members of the 69th in trouble (jankers). They had exchanged the CO's Residence sign and swapped it with the Pig Farm sign, (a pig farm used to be down over the road from the side of T1 block).

On completion of Summer Camp, pressure was on for the final exams as the % result determines our rank and future promotion prospects; that is either 1 year or 3 years to Cpl/Tech. With the RAF expanding those that made Cpl/Tech in a year were likely to be promoted to Sergeant very rapidly. Two of our class (70B) made it, and were Sergeants within three years.

Graduation

104 of us made it to the end and Passed Out December 1954. The parade went down with the usual bull (polish variety and verbals from authority). The handing out of Certificates and Prizes followed in the evening by a "knees up" in the Grand Atlantic Hotel.

Following this it was our turn to go on a drunken rampage ("high spirits" if you are officers), with our disciplinary RAF SNCO, Flt.Sgt. Bettel (Beatle) making sure none of us came to any harm. Suffice it to say, the 71st and 72nd bore the brunt of our excesses.

Mad panic to sew on our J/T stripes (one upside down) pack and leave Locking for Xmas leave and a new posting. I spent Xmas in Germany having travelled there by troopship from Harwich and military train from the Hook of Holland.

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